Chapter 378 – Automated Rescue.

“Another great day for adventuring!”

“A great day? What’s so great about it?”

A youthful woman let out a sigh, promptly followed up by a wide yawn. The gentle rays of morning sunlight cascaded over the rough terrain as a quartet of adventurers journeyed toward the entrance of the dungeon. They weren’t the sole group drawing near; numerous other parties of comparable size were also converging on the same destination. This had become the customary morning ritual for all, a profession they had been dedicated to for several years.

“Cheer up Keira, we are now silver adventurers! We have proven ourselves to everyone and the best part is…”

“Respect?”

“Respect? No, money of course! We can now finally afford things like this!”

Rudy raised a large sword up that none from the party had seen before. There was a triumphant grin plastered on his face as he presented this new prized possession, a magical runic bastard sword. The air seemed to shimmer around the weapons, casting an otherworldly glow that danced around its intricately carved surface. The sword was an awe-inspiring blend of artistry and power, a testament to both the craftsmanship of its creator and the magical energies it contained.

The hilt of the sword was crafted from polished ebony, adorned with a pattern of engraved silver runes that seemed to pulse faintly as if imbued with a life of their own. The crossguard was nice and firm and protected his hand that was now wrapping itself around the hilt. The blade itself was forged from rare alloys which were said to conduct mana better than the norm. The runes weren’t merely decorative as they could produce more than one magical effect at a time.

“Oh, did you get that from Sir Wayland’s shop? Heard that he hasn’t been making that many items recently.”

“Yeah, he went back to work. This one was on display so I just needed to get it! It can hold twice the normal amount of charges than a regular runic blade!”

“Only twice as much? Why not triple?”

The girl responded playfully, finding amusement in the young man’s exaggerated reaction to his new sword purchase. As the group reached tier 2, they decided to utilize the dungeon as their training ground. However, despite upgrading their equipment, they found their progress starting to plateau. Like many other silver-ranked adventurers, their advancement had come to a standstill.

There were several factors contributing to their halted progress. Firstly, they encountered stronger and more formidable monsters, which made their battles more challenging and time-consuming. Additionally, the increased travel distances within the dungeon added to their time investment. However, their primary concern was their safety. The dungeon’s structure had undergone a transformation, transitioning from divided floors to one expansive open space.

This change introduced new adversaries, initially starting with flaming salamanders but escalating to flame golems. Venturing recklessly or without caution in this unforgiving dungeon could easily lead to a fatal outcome. Moreover, the presence of bandit groups added another layer of danger. These opportunistic criminals preyed on injured adventurers, creating a constant threat that loomed over every aspiring adventurer’s head.

It was widely acknowledged that the majority of people never progressed beyond the silver rank. The income they earned from defeating weaker tier 2 monsters was sufficient to sustain their livelihoods. After enduring years of challenges as novice adventurers, some individuals were unwilling to exert the same level of effort and opted for the path of least resistance. However, this particular group had not reached that point yet, as their aspirations extended far beyond mere mediocrity.

“So, where shall we venture today?”

“I propose we continue hunting salamanders. They are relatively easy to defeat, and their meat fetches a good price too.”

“Salamanders again? Why not venture beyond the river? I’ve heard rumors of lava slug nests there. A well-placed ice bomb should do the trick!”

The group of four adventurers, all ranked silver, gathered in front of the dungeon. Keira was cautious, preferring not to rush, while Rudy was eager to forge ahead. He believed that the more challenging the monsters they faced, the faster they would level up. Though the risks were present, he was convinced they were worth taking.

“Guys, if we keep battling those salamanders, we’ll never make any real progress. How can we reach the gold rank without confronting stronger foes? I’m confident we could defeat the golem if we tried!”

Rudy turned to Miron, whose armor and shield had been enhanced to withstand fire.

“What good is that shield and armor if you only use them against salamanders? I bet they could withstand a few blows from a golem too!”

Even Sansa and Keira, who had been more cautious in their approach, were starting to be persuaded. They had spent a significant amount of time proceeding with caution after an incident that nearly cost them their lives. Since then, they had taken the safer route, avoiding any major crises. Now, however, they were growing restless and yearned to test their limits and see just how far they could truly go.

“I don’t know, what if we get stuck like last time? There probably won’t be anyone to save us…”

“You’re worrying too much, we are much stronger now than we were back then and we also have all this magical equipment!”

The group deliberated further, their attention eventually shifting towards the entrance of the dungeon. In the wake of the Lich’s escape, there was a noticeable increase in the number of guards stationed around the entrance, as well as a surge in the presence of other adventurers. With the discovery of tier 3 monsters, the city’s population had grown significantly.

“Hey, what’s happening over there?”

Keira inquired, gesturing towards a sizable crowd gathered before a stage where a group of dwarves were showcasing something.

“Are they attempting to peddle their wares once more? Perhaps we should disregard them. It’s likely just another worthless trinket or some such thing,”

Rudy suggested while trying to push through the crowd that had formed. However, before they continued further he spotted a familiar face among the dwarves. The person there was someone that all of them knew, Bernir the assistant of the city Runesmith that was now known as the Knight Commander.

“Hey, isn’t that person from the runic shop?”

Rudy asked while Keira and the others stopped to look.

“Yeah, I’ve seen him around there, doesn’t he work there? Are they selling something here?”

She nodded in affirmation, confirming his question, and now their collective gaze was fixed upon the scene. This particular group held a deep appreciation for the city’s runesmith, as they had been the beneficiaries of affordable magical weapons and cost-effective repairs. These offerings had propelled their dungeon exploration at an accelerated pace and played a significant role in their attainment of tier 2 classes. If the runic shop had something to sell in this gathering, their attention was fully captured, eager to hear what was being presented.

“What are those, some type of armbands?”

“Damn, there are too many people I can’t really hear what they are talking about…”

“It seems they are handing out some samples of a magical item, it’s supposed to act as protection in the dungeon?”

Sansa responded to Rudy’s attempt to maneuver through the crowd, using her heightened sense of hearing to discern the details of what was transpiring. It became clear to her that the dwarves were distributing a magical armband, supposedly imbued with a protective enchantment of sorts.

Stolen novel; please report.

“What? They are giving out free samples? We should get some!”

Rudy eagerly embraced the opportunity, and the rest of the group followed suit, expressing their agreement with nods. A large box containing numerous armbands was available, and soon other adventurers began selecting their own. When it came to receiving complimentary items, individuals in this profession required little persuasion. Without hesitation, they swiftly adorned the armbands, unaware of their specific functions.

Curiosity piqued, Rudy glanced at the metallic armband encircling his wrist, noticing intricate runes etched upon it. He attempted to infuse it with his mana, but no discernible effect manifested. Thus he turned to the person that was there for the announcement and asked.

“What is this armband supposed to do, anyway?”